Cross arm mounting hanger



Feb. 15, 1938. A, RAMSEY 2,11os,34s

CROSS ARM MOUNTING HANGER Filed Sept. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 15, 1938. A, RAMSEY 2,108,348

CROSS ARM MOUNTING HANGER Filed Sept. 14, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vgZZarzfia/nagy fluerzfon" I Patented Feb. 15, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Allan Ramsey,

Evanston,

Ill., assignor to Schweitzer & Conrad, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application September 14, 1936, Serial No. 100,697

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to adjustable cross arm mountings or hangers for supporting primary cutouts or the like, in overhead manner, upon a supporting structure such as a wooden 5 cross arm. The present application is a continuation in part of my copending applications, Serial No. 734,262, filed July 9, 1934, and Serial No. 730,075, filed June 9, 1934. The hanger of the present invention is adjustable in size to adapt it to mounting upon cross arms of different sizes, and in various combinations with a device to be supported. A suitable intermediate connecting bracket may be employed whereby the devices, such as a fuse box, cutout, switch or the like may be supported optionally in any one of a number of positions with respect to two axes of angularity. Two specific devices which I have illustrated are a fuse box and an ejector cutout such as may be included in a primary circuit on the high tension side of a distribution transformer. The specific fuse, switch, or other electrical device to be supported is not of the essence of the invention, these devices being shown by way of illustration and not by way of limitation.

25 Particular features of improvement of the present hanger are, first, its adaptability to various sizes of cross arms and various positions; next, its relatively low cost; and third, its simple, rugged character.

30 Preferably, the sections of the hanger are made of strap iron formed to shape. The strap iron body section is provided at its ends with lugs extending at a selected angle or angles so as to match with lugs of another section or sections, these lugs being perforated for the reception of bolts, preferably carriage bolts.

A specific feature of novelty in my hanger is the use of two pieces of strap iron or bar stock in which mating clamping ears or lugs form an 40 anchorage for the intermediate bracket member that supports the device to be carried from the cross arm. The body portion of one section lies at right angles to the body portion of the adjacent section but the ears which are integral with 45 these two body portions extend parallel to each other at the corner of the angle defined by the body portions. This relation is secured by having the ear or lug form a direct continuation of one body portion, and having the ear or lug of 0 the other body section bent at right angles to the corresponding body portion. While this right angle relation of the two lugs as above indi cated is the preferable one, it is obviously not the only one, since the ears lying parallel to each 55 other may extend at any selected angle instead of directly in line with one surface of the cross arm. Thus, for example, instead of having the mating ears extend directly in line with the bottom surface or the side surface of the cross arm, the parallel mating ears may extend at any suitable angle.

A further feature of novelty of my invention is to arrange these two sections of the hanger which carry the mating clamping lugs or ears so that they may be interchanged in position. In 10 the specific form illustrated the two sections extend an equal distance from the common corner. This is an optional refinement providing an advantage as to interchangeability. Where the two sections thus extend equal distances from the 15 common corner they may be reversed in position without altering the position of the remainder of the hanger. This is of considerable advantage in that it allows the angular position of the clamp ing ears to be altered without requiring any 20 change in the remainder of the hanger. Where the intermediate bracket member has a mounting lug angularly disposed with respect to its body portion, various selected intermediate positions of the supported device may optionally be had from the same parts. Intermediate bracket members of various forms may be employed.

In order to acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing and operating a device embodying my invention, I shall describe, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,

a specific embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view taken from the side of a primary cutout fuse box showing the mounting of the same on a cross arm;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a diagram of a modification illustrating a different mounting for the fuse box;

Figure 4 shows an alternative position of the device shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side view of a different form of primary cutout, such as is known in the trade as the ejector cutout mounted upon a cross arm by the bracket of my invention;

Figure 6 shows an optional rearrangement of the parts to give a diiferent position of the primary cutout;

Figures 7 to 10, inclusive, show the adjustability of the same parts as applied to different sizes 5 or shapes of cross arms; and

Figure 11 is a diagram illustrating a modified arrangement of the parts of the hanger of my invention.

Referring now to Figure 1, the cross arm I is shown in section as having the hanger 2 consisting generally of sections of a peripheral encircling band clamped thereupon for supporting the primary fuse box 3 in convenient position to be opened, re-fused, and. closed by a lineman on a pole or other structure for supporting the cross arm I.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the fuse box 3 comprises a main body portion 4 and a hinged cover member 5. This cover member 5 is hinged at its lower end to the body portion 4 and is provided at its upper end with an ear 6 which may be engaged as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 by a suitable operating stick I. member 8 is mounted on the back of the cover 5 and is disposed normally within the hollow body portion 4 where suitable contacts are provided for making connection with the primary lead wires which enter through the holes 9 and I0. Upon the back wall of the body portion 4 there is provided a bracket I2 which has its body portion cemented into and opening in the back of the body portion 4. This bracket I2 has a lug or ear I3 which extends at a slight angle to the body portion I4 so that when the ear I3 extends in a horizontal direction the body 4 of the box 3 will be tilted slightly, as shown in Figure 1, todrain water off of the box without the tendency for th same to run inside the box. i

The hanger 2 comprises an encircling band which may be tightened about the cross arm I to secure a firm mounting for the same. This encircling band comprises, in the form shown in Figures 1 to 10, four segments. These segments comprise the front segment I5, the bottom segment I9, the back segment 24, and the top segment 29. The front segment I5 and the bottom segment I9 have mating clamping ears I1 and 20 clamping between them, by means of the bolt I8, the lug or ear I3 of the bracket member I2. The bolt I8 is preferably a carriage bolt having a square shank under the head and the lugs pref,- erably have square holes therethrough so as to facilitate the assembly of the device. Obviously; machine bolts instead of carriage bolts may be employed.

The front segment I5 has the lug I6 bent up at right angles to. the body portion of the section I5 and likewise the bottom segment I9 has the clamping ear or lug 22 bent up at right angles to its main body portion. These four body segments are all made of bar or strap iron suitably formed to shape and perforated, fromv the same or like bars of stock.

Attention is called'to the fact that the lug I6 of the body portion I5 and the lug 22 of the body portion I9 lie at equal distances from the common angle defined by the body portions I5 and I9. It will be seen that the body portion I5 does not extend quite to the corner because of the thickness of the lug I3 of the intermediate bracket I2. Obviously, however, the body portion I5 might be extended to the corner and the ears or lugs I I and 20 clamped flat against each other with the lug I3 of the intermediate bracket member I2 placed above or below these mating lugs.

The back segment 24 has a diagonally extending ear or lug 21 which extends off from a point adjacent the top rear corner of the cross arm I. At its lower end the body portion 24 has an offset portion 25 and a bolting ear or lug 26 which is perforated and matches with the ear 22 of the body segment I9 so that the carriage bolt 23 may clamp the lugs 26 and 22 together,

The top segment has a curved body portion A fuse which has at its rear end the diagonally extending bolting lug 30 meeting with the lug 27 of the segment 24. The lug extends from the body portion of the segment 2 a short distance from the corner of the wooden cross arm I so that the bolt 28 may tend to pull the segment 21 both horizontally and vertically.

At its front end the segment 29 has an oifset portion 3I reaching down along the upper part of the front face of the cross arm and carrying a bolting lug 32 which matches with the lug I6 of the segment I5 so that the carriage bolt 33 may draw these lugs 32 and I6 together.

Now it may be seen that by the mating clamping ears'I'I and 20 the lug I3 of the intermediate bracket member I2 may be rigidly clamped on a vertical axis which allows, however, the box 3 to swing into any angular position desired, within limits, on the vertical axis of the bolt I8. Thus the box may be faced towards the pole to make it more convenient for the lineman on the pole to open and close the box and to service the same.

The segments are so designed with respect to various sizes of cross arms that a fairly wide variety of sizes of cross arms may be satisfactorily clamped by the same four segments as shown in Figures 7 to 10. In Figures 7 and 8 the bolt 28 is a x 2" carriage bolt, the bolt 33 is a x 1%" carriage bolt, the bolt I8 is likewise a x 1 /2" carriage bolt, and the bolt 23 is a x 2 carriage bolt. With the same segments and the aforesaid bolts, cross arms ranging from 3 x 4%," to 3%" x 4%" may be embraced and held with the clamping lugs I1 and 29 disposed in horizontal position as shown in Figure 7, or in vertical position as shown in Figure 8, by reversal of the. relation of the segments I5 and I9.

In Figures 9 and 10 the bolt 28 is a x 3 /2" carriage bolt, the bolt 33 is a V x 2% carriage bolt, the bolt I8 is a x 1 carriage bolt, and the bolt 23 is a x 2% carriage bolt. With this arrangement of bolts, cross arms from 3%," x 5%" to 4" x 6'. may be clamped.

It will be observed, in the form shown in Figures 7 to 10, thatthe ofifset portion 25 shown in Figure l is omitted. The ofiset portion 25 is of advantage in securing a grip upon the lower rear corner of the cross arm when the bolt 28 is drawn up tightly, but an adequate support may be obtained by the construction shown in Figures 7 to 10. Obviously, where the same size cross arm is to be clamped and the full desideratum is in adjustability from the horizontal to the vertical position of the lugs I1 and 20, the two segments 24 and 29 may be merged into a single piece, as shown diagrammatically at 35 in Figure 11 In Figures 3 and 4 I have illustrated an intermediate bracket member 36 which is .a strap ironbent to an acute angle for permitting the box 3 to be mounted in a substantially vertical position, as shown in Figure 4, or by swinging the box on the pin 3! which clamps the bracket 38 to the back of the box 3, the box may be swung to substantially horizontal position, as shown in Figure 3, the clamping ears I1 and 26 in this case being swung from the horizontal position shown in Figure 4 to the vertical position shown in Figure 3.

In Figures 5 and 6 I have shown the mounting of a so-called ejector cutout for primary circuits. This ejector cutout 38 comprises a tubular body portion 39 and a plug portion (not shown) carried on a handle member 40. The plug member is a fuse which has cooperating contacts in the tubular mounting 39. The contacts in the tubular body 39 are connected to the primary wires which enter at the holes 4| and 42. In order to mount the ejector cutout 38 in either the substantially horizontal position shown in Figure or the substantially vertical position shown in Figure 6, an intermediate bracket member 43 having a lug or car 44 adapted tobe clamped between the ears I1 and 2|] is provided. This bracket member 43 has a split band clamp 45 encircling and gripping the cylindrical part of the tubular housing member 39. Bolts 46 and 41 hold together the two parts of the split clamp which connect the bracket 43 with the said tubular body 39. It will be observed that the mounting lug 44 of the bracket 43 extends not at right angles to the split clamp portion 45 but at a little more than a right angle, whereby in Figure 5 the handle portion 40 is inclined slightly upward from horizontal and in Figure 6 inclined slightly to the right of vertical, for ease in handling. In addition, there is the adjustability pivotally on the axis of the bolt I8. A suitable spring lock washer may be provided under the nut of the bolt l8 to avoid loosening by repeated handling of the supported device. The resiliency of the wooden cross arm obviates the necessity for spring washers under the other bolts.

Where adjustability as to size of the cross arm is required the drawing up of the various bolts will accomplish one degree of adjustability and permit the hanger to be clamped upon the cross arm. Where wider variation is encountered the length of the bolts may be adjusted, as above explained.

The lugs I! and 2!) may, if desired, be extended off diagonally from the corner at a suitable inclination togive greater or less angular throw by reversal of the parts l5 and I9. Thus it may be seen that if, in Figure 1, the lugs I1 and 20 were bent upwardly with respect to the horizontal, then when they are changed to the position shown in Figure 8 they would extend to the left of the vertical and thus produce a greater degree of difference in angle between their two respective positions.

As I have above indicated, the two sections 29 and 24 may be merged into a single piece where the degree of adjustability herein indicated may not be required. Thus, as shown in Figure 11, the adjustability of the position of the lugs l1 and 20 may be provided even though no adjustability as to the size of the cross arm were provided.

The ears I! and 23 may be provided with suitable roughening of the clamping surface as by stamping with a die about the bolt holes to increase the frictional grip upon the lug I3 of the bracket IE, or like lugs of brackets such as 43 and 36. The lugs of the brackets I2, 36 and 43 may likewise be roughened or corrugated on one or both sides, the same as lugs I1 and 20.

The herein disclosed principle of providing one or more mounting lugs for clamping to a bracket upon one or more parts, the position of which may be shifted to change the angular position of such mounting lug or lugs, is broadly new and is applicable to various specific forms of mounting. Likewise, it may be employed in various forms. Thus, for example, the two lugs l5 and I9 might be bolted directly to the adjacent sides of the cross arm instead of being held in place by the segments 29 and 44.

It will be noted that, once the lug or tongue attached to or supporting the electrical device is clamped between the mating lugs or ears, for example the ear l3 of the bracket I2 clamped between the ears I! and 20 by the bolt I8, Figure 1, the gripping action of the parts forming the cross arm hanger is unaffected thereby. There is a certain degree of independence between the clamping of the lug or tongue of the electrical device and the gripping action of the hanger with respect to the cross arm. Both actions may be properly effected without requiring close fitting of the various parts involved and both clamping or gripping actions are available using the same hanger parts for a considerable range of sizes of cross arms and thicknesses of lugs or tongues.

I do not intend to be limited to the specific details nor the specific forms or proportions illustrated and above described in detail except as the same are recited in the appended claims, as it is obvious that a fairly wide variation of the details of my mounting from the above teachings will at once be apparent to those skilled in the art. The advantages and mode of operation of the device are obvious from the foregoing description.

I claim:

1. A bracket assembly for mounting on a cross arm having a generally rectangular cross section to support an electrical device or the like having an apertured support ear extending therefrom comprising, in combination; a multipart band for encircling and gripping the cross arm, two of said parts being adapted to be positioned along adjacent sides of said cross arm and having apertured mating clamp ears disposed at an angle to one of them for carrying said support ear; bolts extending parallel to said adjacent sides of said cross arm for securing said two parts to the remainder of said band, and a bolt extending through the apertures in said support ear and clamp ears for clamping them together, the clamping together of said ears being unaffected by the action of the band in gripping the cross arm.

2. A mounting bracket for supporting devices having apertured support ears of different thicknesses on cross arms having oblong cross sections of varying width and height comprising, in combination; a plurality of flat metal members for encircling and gripping a cross arm, two of said members having body portions and apertured lug portions for receiving said support ear therebetween, the lug portion of one of said two members extending in line with its body portion and the lug portion of the other of said two members extending substantially at right angles to its body portion; a bolt extending through said apertured support ear and lug portions for clamping the same together, said support ear before clamping being rotatable about the axis of said bolt, apertured mating lug portions on said members adapted to extend substantially at right angles to faces of said cross arm, and a bolt extending through each pair of mating lug portions for clamping said metal members to said cross arm.

3. A mounting bracket for supporting devices having apertured support ears of difierent thicknesses on cross arms having oblong cross sections of varying width and height comprising, in combination; a plurality of fiat metal members bolted together to form a band for encircling and gripping a cross arm, two of said members having body portions and apertured lug portions at one end for receiving said support ear therebetween, the lug portion of one of said two members extending in line with its body portion and the lug portion of the other of said two members extending substantially at right angles to its body portion, said two members having additional apertured lug portions at their other ends extending substantially at right angles to said body portions whereby said two members are interchangeable to optionally permit mounting of said first-mentioned lug portions in positions substantially at right angles to each other; and a bolt extending through said apertured support ear and said firstmentioned lug portions for clamping the same together, said support ear before clamping being rotatable about the axis of said bolt for variably positioning said device.

ALLAN RAMSEY. 

